Johannesburg – Despite the City of Joburg’s plans to investigate, frustrated residents in townships and suburbs alike still say not enough has been done to address the overwhelming stench of overflow sewage and the high e.coli levels in the Jukskei River.

The recent lack of rain has contributed to sewage problems, said Daniel Masemola, acting director of waste- management and biodiversity in the city’s environment and infrastructure services department.

“Because there is no longer rain, we failed to realise that sewage was flowing into the river,” Masemola said.

“Because of the dilution effect, (the rain) was assisting the water flow.”

While residents of nearby suburbs Morninghill and Linbro Park said the stench of the sewage was overwhelming, several Alexandra residents who live on the riverbanks said they’re also concerned for the safety of children who play in the river.

A study of the river’s water last year found e.coli counts of 450 000 per 100ml of water, more than 1 000 times the tolerable limit of 400 counts per 100ml.

“When you go to the schools, there are always children playing in the water,” said Kate Madila, an Alexandra resident who lives near the river.

“All around here we are complaining. It is very smelly and very bad.”

Although no one drinks or uses the river water, another resident, who asked to not be named, said people, as well as nearby hospitals, dump their waste into the river. But she said the real problem was not the river itself, but the sewage that washes up onto the riverbanks near people’s homes.

Resident Jetrom Ngubane said that if the sewer lines are blocked, the toilets overflow with waste.

“This is our door, and this is where the sewage is,” he said, pointing to a few metres between a house and a toilet.

“If the toilets are blocked, then the sewage spills over onto the ground.”

Masemola said an investigation into the Jukskei River near the Marlboro Gautrain station was completed at the end of last month.

In an email, Johannesburg Water general manager of operations Etienne Hugo said the department traced the problem back to a blocked sewer line near the Gautrain station, and that the blockage was cleaned on April 29.

Masemola said he had alerted Johannesburg Water about complaints regarding the Bruma and Morninghill sections of the river and that the department plans to investigate.

“Johannesburg Water confirms there is a sewer that flows into the river,” he said.

“Once we assess the issue of the sewer pollution upstream from Bruma Lake, it means we will be able to address that issue from Bruma as well as Morninghill.”

Johannesburg Water spokeswoman Eleanor Mavimbela said sewage problems could be attributed to illegal dumping into the river and buildings discharging sewage through stormwater drains.

Despite an ongoing plan by Johannesburg Water to upgrade the city’s water systems, Ward 20 (Morninghill) councillor Jill Humphreys said not enough was being done, and she had reached out to several officials about the problem.

“I’m just a councillor miserably listening to my residents. The problem is enormous,” she said.

In an email to several city officials last month, including Joburg mayor Parks Tau and environment and infrastructure services MMC Matshidiso Mfikoe, Linbro Park resident Tony Lavine said the Jukskei River’s stench posed a serious health risk to communities, including Alexandra.

@OliviaExstrum

olivia.exstrum@inl.co.za

The Star